In Sutton, Quebec, an augmented reality planetarium experience opens up the sky to campers.

A 184-seat Roman-style amphitheater nestled deep in the forest of the Eastern Townships, perched on the slope of a mountain, is where dozens of people have waited for the sun to drop and absolute darkness to arrive, to wear specially-made augmented reality headsets and gaze into the night sky.

Au Diable Vert, an outdoor activity outfitter in the Sutton mountain range, has created Observétoiles, the world's first augmented reality planetarium experience. The cardboard headsets, which come with straps to hold them in place and are connected with a smartphone and special software, allow people to look up at the sky and identify stars, planets, and constellations.

An astronomer gives an hour-long presentation at Observétoiles, taking listeners on a tour of the solar system before identifying the hundreds of constellations and discussing their Indigenous, Asian, and Greco-Roman history.

Depending on which way you look, the app and headset superimpose faint pictures, the original 17th-century drawings of 88 constellations, over real stars in the sky. The chairs in the amphitheater are also heated. "It's quite fantastic," said Au Diable Vert owner Jeremy Fontana, who came up with the idea to capitalize on the mountain's near-total darkness, where he believes stargazing has always been magnificent.

"You know, one of the nicest things about being at Au Diable Vert is the location," he remarked, pointing over the valley to Jay Peak in Vermont, which is only a few kilometers away as the crow flies. "As the sun goes down, you'll see that there isn't a single light, not even a light bulb, which isn't so odd in Quebec, but it's really unusual an hour and a half from Montreal and an hour from Sherbrooke," he explained. "That's one of the most appealing aspects of the site."

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